Article
Finding Affordable Condos in Costa Rica
Tired of a high-paced urban living? Contemplating a life somewhere far from the madding crowd? Want to explore the un-spoilt beauty of mother Earth? Well, the Caribbean country of Costa Rica can offer you all this and a few more, such as lots of sunshine, smiling faces around you and purity in things that has long vanished from the developed world.
A Costa Rica vacation will always leave you unsatisfied coaxing you all the time to return for more. What if you have a place to call your own in the country? A number of vacationers floored by Costa Rican charms decided to invest in Costa Rica condos for a stronger bonding. And believe us, they are a happy lot. Costa Rica condos do not promise good returns in monetary terms only; today’s investment means a better tomorrow in terms of health, mental well being and happiness.
And the good news is: you don’t have burn a hole in your pocket to make the investment. Affordable Costa Rica condos are no myth, only you have to look for them in the right place.
If you take a close view of Costa Rica condo market, you will notice two different price structures co-existing side by side---one meant for the local buyers, the other meant for the foreign buyers. A local agent will take you to survey the most expensive and priciest lots in the market, while actually plenty of affordable condos are available for sale in the country. Internet listing is a good way of coming across thousands of listed properties and some of them would definitely fit your bill. But again, there still wait many affordable Costa Rica condos tucked somewhere in the market and you have to find the right channel to get near them.
As said earlier, you will find two sets of prices for the same Costa Rica condos---the price for the foreign buyers are some 15 to 20% higher than price asked from the local buyers. Even at that rate, the price will seem quite a bargain as compared to the prices of comparable properties in the US and Europe. So you will be able to make real bargain, if you can grab the deal for local price.
The key is getting a glimpse into the local market. Now, property classifieds in the national dailies make excellent source of information about affordable Costa Rica condos. Most of the newspapers, such as The Nacion have two versions---Spanish and English on the Sundays. While the classifieds in the first are mainly targeted at the local buyers, the second is meant for the English speaking foreigners. And, you will notice a striking gap in the advertised prices in the two papers for the same property.
So, it takes us to one logical conclusion: either you learn Spanish or make friends with a bilingual real estate agent, who would fish out the useful information and convey to you.
It makes more sense in roping in reputed real estate companies in the country than trusting strangers. Either in the cooler San Jose or in the towns near the beaches with tropical climates, a reputed real estate agent is the person to trust for finding your dream condo property in Costa Rica. Stay away from the small time realtors, who have the propensity to quote a very high price as it would translate into a higher commission for them. Pay heed to personal recommendations as it comes to finding out a reliable real estate agent in Costa Rica.
